DALLAS, Texas — Oklahoma and Texas were predictably the talk of the town in Dallas.

Tuesday and Wednesday marked the first appearances for the Sooners and the Longhorns at SEC Media Days. Both programs officially joined the conference on July 1, creating a new 16-team conference.

Nearly every coach and player from the other 14 teams was asked about the additions of both programs and what it means for the SEC. Here's a look at some of the notable quotes about the Sooners:

On what he learned on visits to Austin and Norman earlier this month: "In both places you saw the passion for their programs play out, and then in individual interactions while I walked around campus, even running on Sunday morning in Austin or Monday morning in Norman with a logo on and people doing a double take.

"It was fun to see in those communities displays of the SEC logo, at a leadership level to have deep conversation about what the decision means for each campus and me talking about what it means for the conference.

"I learned more about drone shows than I thought I would know, given the performances at both places, and I learned that both clearly meet what one of our athletics directors called the "it just means more" test.

"So that avid fan base that I spoke of earlier that is in backward looking surveys, both Oklahoma and Texas bring that same type of avid fan base to a set of peer universities and peer athletic programs.

"I also learned it's hot in a tuxedo in Norman, Oklahoma, on a football field late at night in July."

"I think what I was really impressed with Coach Venables job was just the bounce back and the ability to overcome some adversity. Certainly as a first-time head coach, you know, having some adversity and really learning on the job and coming back and having an outstanding season this past season, I think they've got a great quarterback.

"I just think they're another outstanding football team with a great history and tradition. I got the privilege of playing them few times when I was at Notre Dame, and it's a great atmosphere. I played them when I was at Cincinnati. So I think it's just a great tradition, great program, and I think coach has done a great job of really I think on the job really adjusting to being the head guy and I think he's done a terrific job."

"The opportunity to get connected and be with the Oklahoma program was a great opportunity. Went there because of for a lot of the reasons. For a lot of reasons. Joe Castiglione, the athletic director, was one of them, to get connected with him. Just went there and made so many friends for life. I mentioned Ryan Hybl. Zac Selmon, Mississippi State, someone that's a dear friend. I learned a lot. Pretty cool being a part of that tradition, and it'll be a big challenge going back to Norman on that Saturday. Really looking forward to the trip.

Excited for our fans. Our fans are so excited about going to Norman, Oklahoma. I can't tell you how many have come to me and told me they got their flights booked and what do they needed to and where to go. It will be a fun weekend and work trip for us."

"You talk about two of the top programs in the history of college football, and then as I look at things, too, like I said earlier, places that are really hard to play and then you get these night games filtered in and places get really hard to play with fan bases like Oklahoma and Texas.

"That's really exciting for the conference, and continues to kind of elevate the super conference."

On whether the OU-Missouri games will have an extra edge: "I don't think so. We have competitive recruiting battles with everybody in the SEC. I mean, whether it was a verbal commitment that we had two weeks ago that had just about every SEC school in this room offered up, I mean, I think there's too much made of it.

"We all -- in the SEC there's only about 100 players that you can actively recruit that are good enough to play in this league, and maybe not even that many based on each position. So you're going to be in battles against each other, and we don't ever take those personal. So it's great for the fans and it's great for social media, but for us it's another quality opponent on our schedule that we're going to have to play at our absolute best in order to have any type of opportunity to win."

On what makes the OU-Texas rivalry special: "I've been part of the Iron Bowl. I've been part of the Apple Cup in Washington. I've been part of SC-UCLA. I've been part of some great games.

"This is the most unique game for sure that I've ever been a part of. When you pull into the State Fair and you start smelling those corn dogs and turkey legs and there's fans from both teams and then you get in those locker rooms and the locker rooms literally are 20 feet apart and you're staring at each team, and one goes first, the next one goes next, and it can get a little contentious in there, but that's okay.

"As we come out, when we come out of that tunnel -- and that's OU's tunnel -- and we're staring at a sea of burnt orange, you just want to get there. It's a unique game because half of the game is a home game. The other half of the game is a road game. I had to learn that the hard way in year one. We got stuck in OU's end, and we were false starting. We couldn't do anything right. So you have to play to that style of game.

"But it being split right down the 50, it's the who's who on the sidelines, and I'll tell you this about both teams. Both teams play as hard as they possibly can play in that game, and again, that's to take nothing away from any other great game that I've been part of, but this one is uniquely special.

"I think Norman is about 2 1/2 hours from Dallas. We're about 3 hours from Dallas. The fact that we kind of come upon the State Fair here in Dallas is really special. So it's a game that I'm humbled and honored that I get to be part of. I'm getting to go coach in my fourth one. Looking forward to the opportunity."

"With rivalries like that, I mean, anything can happen, whether we're ranked No. 1 in the country and OU is not ranked or vice versa. That's just one of those games where, I mean, you've gotta come out and be on your game because you're going to get the other team's best shot, for sure."

Not an OUInsider.com premium member? Sign up today to get loads of inside information on Oklahoma football, softball, basketball, and recruiting, all for just a few dollars a month. Click HERE to get started!